Discharge (Home) to Assess: Shifting the Balance of Care

13:30 – 14:45

The British Red Cross, in partnership with Dundee and Fife Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), is helping to shift the balance of care by supporting timely discharges and providing a personalised, at-home support for people as soon as they are medically fit  to leave hospital.      

Discharge (Home) to Assess is a specialist service offering a community-based alternative to assessment beds or care home placements, aligned to the home first principles. It focuses on delivering care where people want to be - at home - by enabling assessments and support in familiar surroundings. 

This session will explore the model in practice, its integration with NHS/HSCP teams, and  how working differently to shift the balance of care into the community and home has achieved positive outcomes -  not only for individuals but for the wider health and care system.   

In a recent test of change, where individuals had initially been assessed in hospital as likely needing a care home placement, the service delivered remarkable results:  

• 75% were able to remain at home  

• Of those, 36% required no further care package  

• Only 6% required residential care. 

These outcomes show how providing the right care in the right place can improve quality of life, and support people to live longer, healthier, and more independent lives at home.  

This will be insightful and an engaging session featuring perspectives from NHS and HSCP partners, and feedback from people who have benefitted from the service.